FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESANTA MONICA, CA -- AUGUST 2, 2013 -- The Board and staff of Global Green USA applaud Mayor Garcetti's selection of Global Green President & CEO Matt Petersen to become Chief Sustainability Officer for the city of Los Angeles. Mayor Garcetti has demonstrated his belief in Petersen's entrepreneurial approach to greening our nation's cities, affordable housing, and schools.

"On behalf of the Board of Directors, we are so proud of Matt Petersen's leadership, vision and accomplishments at Global Green and we wish him much success working for LA's new Mayor," said Global Green Board Chair Scott Seydel. "While Matt will be sorely missed as our President and CEO, we're excited for Matt to remain on the Board, and that his work will continue with the leadership of our incredible staff at Global Green, totaling 35 people in four offices."

For nearly 20 years, Petersen has built and led Global Green USA to become a national environmental leader on greening cities, schools, and affordable housing to bring the economic and health benefits of green building to low-income communities. In Los Angeles alone, Global Green has been responsible for helping to green over $15 billion dollars worth of new school construction, creating the first green building policy for any major city and helping to ensure that low-income families benefit from the state's global warming and million solar roofs program.

"It has been an incredible journey leading Global Green for nearly 20 years since its founding, and I am grateful to the board and our incredible donors for their continued support that makes our amazing work possible," said Matt Petersen. "I look forward to helping my fellow directors of Global Green lead the organization into the future as we grow our initiatives in Los Angeles, across California, New York, New Orleans and beyond."

Petersen added: "I am excited to join Mayor Garcetti's team, and proud to announce Richard Wegman, who has served as Global Green's COO for nearly a decade, will be appointed interim Executive Director in the transition. The incredible leadership and expertise we have built in our staff will carry forward our work in the months and years ahead."

Global Green USA is dedicated to helping the places, the people, and the planet in need through catalytic projects, transformative policy, and cutting-edge research. Global Green USA's signature programs include greening affordable housing, schools, neighborhoods, and cities as well as rebuilding communities -- such as New Orleans and areas of New York and New Jersey -- that have suffered from the impacts of climate change, sea level rise, and environmental degradation. Global Green USA is the U.S. affiliate of Green Cross International, which was founded by President Mikhail Gorbachev in 1993 to foster a global value shift toward a sustainable and secure future.